Overall, invasive species are estimated to cost £1.7bn each year!

laguna · Dec 18, 2016

According to this article... Harlequin ladybirds declared UK’s fastest invading species – Biology Plus: News and Research

Another source suggests Signal crayfish alone cost about as much?
Yet another suggests Japanese knotweed alone costs the British economy £165m a year or £26 per person annually.

"Anglian Water alone spends around half a million pounds every year tackling the mayhem zebra mussels cause.

"That may seem like a lot of money to control such a tiny creature but that's nothing compared to the £1.7bn we spend every year combating alien species.
"From the grey squirrel, American crayfish, mink driving water voles from our river banks* and the small but scarily-named 'killer shrimp', a whole host of animals and plants are playing their part in colonising our countryside.
"Luckily of the 2,000 non-native species living among us, only a few hundred are actually harmful."

Defending UK from foreign species costs £26 per person - Telegraph

Only a few hundred are harmful? That's okay then!

mg:

*and eating our fish stocks (mink)

greenie62 · Dec 18, 2016

So, there's £1.7bn sloshing around in this austerity economy somewhere? - Who's getting it? Who's benefitting? Where's it gone?

Aahh - an estimated cost! That's different! It isn't the same as actual expenditure!

The problems we have with Giant Hogweed in this area have been backheeled by local landholders, councils, utilities companies and EA - on the grounds that it would be too expensive to deal with!

- so nothing is done!

mg:

The estimated cost is too great - so we can't afford to do anything - so we'll do nothing - so the expenditure is nothing!

mg:

The solution seems to have been left to the likes of Salford Friendly AS and Mersey Basin Rivers Trust to train-up a team of lads to map and eradicate the plants and remove the re-infestation threat for the next few years, similarly other clubs, e.g. PAAS - have Work Parties to 'balsam bash' - to improve the banksides and remove invasive flora species.

The message seems clear - we can't get anyone else to pay to to protect the banksides - so Anglers need to do it for themselves - linking-up with other interested parties where possible - birders, dog-walkers, ramblers, etc!

maggot_dangler · Dec 18, 2016

Hows about Canada Geese the cleanup bill after they have invadedcd must be huge that not even taking into account and medical costs incured due to disease spread by them ..

PG ...

The bad one · Dec 19, 2016

maggot_dangler said:
Hows about Canada Geese the cleanup bill after they have invadedcd must be huge that not even taking into account and medical costs incured due to disease spread by them ..

PG ...

Indeed PG! Councils are too bloody lame to do anything about them, even though they are probably the easiest invasive to deal with. Some clubs don't have a problem with them on their own owned waters they use the method of "PULL" to eradicate them.

S-Kippy · Dec 20, 2016

greenie62 said:
So, there's £1.7bn sloshing around in this austerity economy somewhere? - Who's getting it? Who's benefitting? Where's it gone?

Aahh - an estimated cost! That's different! It isn't the same as actual expenditure!

The problems we have with Giant Hogweed in this area have been backheeled by local landholders, councils, utilities companies and EA - on the grounds that it would be too expensive to deal with! - so nothing is done! mg:

The estimated cost is too great - so we can't afford to do anything - so we'll do nothing - so the expenditure is nothing! mg:

The solution seems to have been left to the likes of Salford Friendly AS and Mersey Basin Rivers Trust to train-up a team of lads to map and eradicate the plants and remove the re-infestation threat for the next few years, similarly other clubs, e.g. PAAS - have Work Parties to 'balsam bash' - to improve the banksides and remove invasive flora species.

The message seems clear - we can't get anyone else to pay to to protect the banksides - so Anglers need to do it for themselves - linking-up with other interested parties where possible - birders, dog-walkers, ramblers, etc!

Except that when did birders, dog walkers and ramblers ever have working parties ? I've been on several PAAS working parties and all I've ever met are anglers. It seems to me that if the problem ( be that invasive species,litter or whatever) is anywhere near water then it's anglers that caused it in the first place and anglers job to do something about it. Backed up by the EA of course. What could possibly go wrong ?

seth49 · Dec 20, 2016

Has anyone seen any evidence of the rust disease that's supposed to be specific too Himalayan balsam, think it was to be released in parts of Wales this year, as a trial, and then rolled out to the rest of the country.

greenie62 · Dec 20, 2016

S-Kippy said:
Except that when did birders, dog walkers and ramblers ever have working parties ? I've been on several PAAS working parties and all I've ever met are anglers.....

That's one of the reasons that we formed Mersey Basin Rivers Trust - to initiate WPs that drew-in all the other river-bank users as well as Anglers and to raise the awareness that cleaning-up rivers and the associated flora and fauna isn't just the Anglers' problem.

In the NW we have a legacy of industrial & domestic pollution that is slowly getting cleared-up. The more people that we can get involved with this - the sooner it gets cleared-up - and stops getting worse!

The MBRT Clean-ups we've held so far have included local community groups as well as dog-walkers, families, etc. - with anglers now making-up less than 50% of those attending - although we do tend to be the ones who wade-in to retrieve the submerged items due to 'going equipped' with waders!

Participants on clean-ups this year have included staff from Forestry Commission, Community Police, student groups, local councils and councillors, rambling groups, local house-holders and local environmental groups - all of whom have had their eyes opened as to the value that is being added-to the environment and the problems facing all users of the countryside and effects on the riverine system. For further details Mersey Basin Rivers Trust – The Peoples River From Source To Sea

Angling Club WPs tend to only be concerned with anglers' problems - nowt wrong with that - but the Trust is trying to take a wider view and going for a more 'holistic' approach. PAAS members have also helped-out on MBRT WPs and those of the Ribble Trust too. It's the dozens of Clubs using the rivers that don't supply any WP effort that frustrates me!

thecrow · Dec 20, 2016

I believe that work parties can be very damaging to the wildlife that lives both in and near the watery environment, they always seem to take place when its the season for creatures to be breeding.

Not knocking getting others involved but I do think that a bit more thought as to when they are done could be beneficial.

greenie62 · Dec 20, 2016

thecrow said:
...Not knocking getting others involved but I do think that a bit more thought as to when they are done could be beneficial.

That's one of the benefits of involving other 'stake-holders' in the process - you get more input on the timing of WPs - although the 'if not now - then when?' question - can lead to unfortunate delays!

Being prepared to modify the objectives of the WP in the light of conditions on the day, the turn-out, weather, river-levels, etc. is essential.

We've had to abandon original purpose and 'downgrade' to just a 'litter-pick' on occasions through prevailling conditions - but at least we got out there and improved the place!

The bad one · Dec 20, 2016

thecrow said:
I believe that work parties can be very damaging to the wildlife that lives both in and near the watery environment, they always seem to take place when its the season for creatures to be breeding.

Not knocking getting others involved but I do think that a bit more thought as to when they are done could be beneficial.

I’d tend to agree with you if they are not managed properly, and by that I mean, the site to be worked, being checked thoroughly by a competent person for wildlife that could be affected by the work.And where possible exclusion zones being place around any wildlife value found.
Such work, wherever possible, being carried out during the winter period where any impact would be minimal at best.

no-one in particular · Dec 20, 2016

thecrow said:
I believe that work parties can be very damaging to the wildlife that lives both in and near the watery environment, they always seem to take place when its the season for creatures to be breeding.

Not knocking getting others involved but I do think that a bit more thought as to when they are done could be beneficial.

EA "Work Parties" can be thus. I remember once fishing a dyke and could not identify a pair of birds nesting in the weed bed, pretty rare I thought. Went back two weeks later for another look and the EA had dredged and grubbed the whole weed bed out. They do this in the spring most years to clear them out which is fair enough but not a lot of thought for wildlife breeding at times it seems.

greenie62 · Dec 20, 2016

markg said:
... the EA had dredged and grubbed the whole weed bed out....

Some of this behaviour was what gave the old BWB a bad name on the canals with indiscriminate dredging - I have noticed that the tradition is being perpetuated by the C&RT - using the same weed-chopping and dredging equipment - same schedules, etc!

Plus ca change - plus c'est la meme chose!

mg:

thecrow · Dec 20, 2016

markg said:
EA "Work Parties" can be thus.

Got to agree with that Mark, don't know if this still goes on but it looks like vandalism to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuV_knaprvM

Improve and maintain fisheries not sure how this achieves that.

ken more · Dec 20, 2016

maggot_dangler said:
Hows about Canada Geese the cleanup bill after they have invadedcd must be huge that not even taking into account and medical costs incured due to disease spread by them ..

PG ...

Be gentle here folks as i don't know too much about invasive species and how they got here and how things change and evolve etc. Are Canada Geese, for example, an invasive species? Before you shoot me down i'll try and explain what i mean. They have wings and being Geese, they can probably fly for Canada if you get my drift. May even have been shooting over here for Donkeys years, before any of us were even born, is that an invasive species, or are they not even canadian?

sam vimes · Dec 20, 2016

ken more said:
Be gentle here folks as i don't know too much about invasive species and how they got here and how things change and evolve etc. Are Canada Geese, for example, an invasive species? Before you shoot me down i'll try and explain what i mean. They have wings and being Geese, they can probably fly for Canada if you get my drift. May even have been shooting over here for Donkeys years, before any of us were even born, is that an invasive species, or are they not even canadian?

The RSPB are never going to describe any bird species as invasive, but even they acknowledge the Canada goose as an introduced species. They certainly aren't in the UK naturally, hence them being considered a pest species that are on the general licence for shooting.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/c/canadagoose/

As another example, the RSPB describe the ring necked parakeet as a naturalised species.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-w...ides/bird-a-z/r/ringneckedparakeet/index.aspx

maggot_dangler · Dec 20, 2016

ken more said:
Be gentle here folks as i don't know too much about invasive species and how they got here and how things change and evolve etc. Are Canada Geese, for example, an invasive species? Before you shoot me down i'll try and explain what i mean. They have wings and being Geese, they can probably fly for Canada if you get my drift. May even have been shooting over here for Donkeys years, before any of us were even born, is that an invasive species, or are they not even canadian?

The Canada Goose was brought over Sometime in the 1700s from what i can find right now they ARE invasive there have been a few blown off course and landed here but single figures as far as i can see .

Any species that is NOT native to the Country is invasive the Grey Squrill is the ring necked Parakeet is the Mink the edible door mouse ( Glis Glis) plus more they do and are causing problems Look at the problems the American Cray fish is causing thing of nightmares .

PG ...

no-one in particular · Dec 21, 2016

thecrow said:
Got to agree with that Mark, don't know if this still goes on but it looks like vandalism to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuV_knaprvM

Improve and maintain fisheries not sure how this achieves that.

That long armed digger is exactly what they use Crow.Its narrow about 6/8 foot and about 4ft deep and they go in and scrape it out but they just pull all the bank side vegetation up at the same time , any birds nesting no chance, plenty of reed warblers and sedge warblers in there and other birds. They have to do it because its drainage and they do about a mile of it so a lot gets pulverized;a shame they are a bit careless about it though and it always looks a bit drastic to me..

thecrow · Dec 21, 2016

I have seen that weed cutter at work years ago, it resulted in huge rafts of weed floating down the river ruining the fishing for anyone, its not only weed that is dumped on the bank its all the invertebrates that live in it and robbing the fish of a natural food source and leaving a virtually sterile river.

Guess where a bailiff told me the money to pay for this destruction comes from.

Philip · Dec 21, 2016

The cost figures are always misleading on these things as it gives the impression its 1.7billion thats being wasted but the fact is if the invasive species were not there then they would have to spend money on controlling native species instead.

greenie62 · Dec 22, 2016

Philip said:
The cost figures are always misleading on these things as it gives the impression its 1.7billion thats being wasted but the fact is if the invasive species were not there then they would have to spend money on controlling native species instead.

Sorry Philip, But I think you are missing the point - see my response to the original post on thid thread, http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=1402685

Because they have estimated that this is the cost - and they've got nowt to spend - they're spending nowt!

The dredging / habitat destruction on canals is an example of the thoughtless continuation of habits from the BWB days - i.e. we've already got the equipment and a gang of blokes to do this - so we'll just carry on - rather than re-train them in something more appropriate!

mg:

They have already laid-off and made redundant their share of staff in C&RT, EA, Local Authority Parks, etc. Soon they won't have the staff to do the work even if they had the right idea of what to do!

mg:

Overall, invasive species are estimated to cost £1.7bn each year!

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